Initially proposed by Hawaiʻi Sen. Mike Gabbard, Senate Bill 2571 prohibits the sale of sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, two chemicals that have been scientifically proven to induce coral bleaching, harm and even kill young coral larvae—and it has gone into effect this year. So what does that mean for visitors and locals? Can […]
If you’ve ever snorkeled in Hawaiʻi, you’ve probably seen it—and you probably didn’t know how important it was to Hawaiʻi’s ecosytem. Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora meandrina)—called koʻa in Hawaiian— is a surge-tolerant species of reef-building coral that you often find in exposed shorelines around the Islands. As its name indicates, this coral resembles the cruciferous vegetable,
When Doug Brunner first visited Hawaiʻi in 1988—during Spring Break while he was attending college in Wisconsin—he fell in love. With the plumeria tree. “I was amazed at all the varieties,” says Brunner, who now owns Maui Plumeria Gardens in Haʻikū on Maui with more than 400 trees. “There was the common Celadine, but there
Updated on April 23, 2021 One of Hawaiʻi’s most iconic tree, the ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and is steeped in the Islands’ history. The flowers are gorgeous—coming in a variety of colors from red to yellow and even white—and have played muse for many local clothing and accessory
Hawaiʻi boasts nine national parks, from the site of an attack that launched the U.S. into World War II to areas sacred to Native Hawaiians. These important sites are great places for visitors to explore and learn more about Hawaiʻi’s unique history and culture. (And it’s great week to do it—it’s National Park Week!) Here
In ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), mālama means to “take care of, tend, attend, care for, preserve.” And here in Hawaiʻi, to mālama the ʻāina, or take care of the land, is one of the best things an individual can do—whether that’s in the form of a beach cleanup, an afternoon maintaining a fishpond or weeding
In February 2020 Nāhuku, more commonly known as Thurston Lava Tube, reopened at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Hawaiʻi Island after nearly two years of closure due to the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. Then COVID-19 happened. The popular walk-through lava tube and rainforest trail—one of the top attractions at the national park—closed just a month after
Gardening is an unforgiving, but rewarding, pursuit. Plants are fickle, their lives fragile. One missed day of watering, too much sunlight, not enough weeding. There are endless ways to lose months of effort. So why do we garden? To grow produce to feed ourselves and loved ones? To learn a new skill? Maybe to clear
Found across Hawai‘i, anchialine ponds, with their unique ecosystems, are little-known treasures often overlooked as part of Hawai‘i’s narrative—both past and present. Along the South Kohala Coast of Hawai‘i Island, hidden within the Waikoloa Beach Resort, is a short gravel path leading to scenic ‘Anaeho‘omalu Bay. Every time I walk through here it feels like I’m taking a
On Dec. 20 Hawaiʻi Island residents once again saw black plumes of smoke rising from the Kīlauea’s Halemaʻumaʻu Crater. The volcanic hotspot had returned to life (though it currently poses no threat to residents). Read More: Here’s How To Safely View the New Eruption on Hawaiʻi Island The natural phenomenon continues to be a sight
More often than not, the journey to a truly hidden gem starts on a small, bumpy dirt road. That applies to the bay that borders Kaloko Fishpond in Hawai‘i Island’s Kailua-Kona district. The area has many small, glassy little tide pools and a few picnic tables, often unoccupied. Located at the end of the Ala Nui Kaloko,
While most people visit the Islands for its sandy beaches and sunshine, birding enthusiasts flock to Hawai‘i’s lush forests and coastlines hoping to spot some of the rarest birds in the world. Hawai‘i is one of the best places around for birding, primarily because of the many unique and rare birds found here. And Hawai‘i Island is
